In 2023, DK Metcalf hit 22.23 miles per hour on a 73-yard touchdown run. Fastest speed recorded by any NFL player that year, since Raheem Mostert clocked 23 mph back in 2020. For context, Tyreek Hill’s fastest gear last season peaked at 22.01 mph. Metcalf still left him in the dust. And he knew it. When he sat across from Colin Cowherd earlier that year and got asked if he was the fastest player in the league, he didn’t flinch. “Yes, I am. On the record,” Metcalf said. So when he arrived in Pittsburgh this summer, teaming up with Aaron Rodgers, the expectation was simple – fireworks. DK was supposed to be the deep-ball nightmare and the unquestioned speed king of Saint Vincent College. But camp has a funny way of humbling even the biggest names.

Because here’s the twist: Training camp speed contests don’t usually make headlines, but when a 5‑foot‑9 receiver starts outpacing names like DK Metcalf, people notice. The Steelers haven’t even hit their first preseason game, and already one of their $4 million investments is running his way into the spotlight. Cam Heyward sat down on his Not Just Football podcast with Hayden to break down what he’s seen so far.

According to defensive captain Cam Heyward, it’s actually Calvin Austin – the so-called “forgotten hero.” When Heyward was asked point‑blank who the fastest guy on the team was, he dropped the surprise: “Fastest guy? You know, DK’s got some acceleration. It’s probably Calvin, though.” That’s not just locker room chatter. That’s a defensive captain pointing at the guy no one outside Pittsburgh was betting on. Calvin Austin isn’t just earning reps – he’s tilting the conversation about what this offense might look like in 2025. Because that “probably Calvin” wasn’t just a throwaway line. It echoed what the coaches have been seeing for weeks.

Austin’s been flashing since the pads went on – like when he caught and juggled seven punts in a drill, earning a loud ovation from the crowd. Like when he turned heads in 2024 with splash plays – a 73‑yard punt return TD against the Giants, a 29‑yard score to seal that win, and a 55‑yard touchdown earlier in the year against the Chargers. Mike Tomlin calls his trajectory “really exciting.”

Sure, the last couple of days he’s been in street clothes, dealing with an undisclosed injury. He told reporters he’ll “be fine,” and there’s no panic yet about his status. But in the meantime, Austin has already proven enough to get the coaches “very high” on him, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. The plan is still – Rodgers to DK Metcalf as the headliner, but Austin’s speed keeps forcing its way into the script. But Heyward didn’t stop at speed; he also offered some thoughts on the Steelers’ offense.

Heyward spells out the real story of Pittsburgh’s attack

On his Not Just Football podcast with Hayden, the Steelers captain tried to dodge the bait at first, but eventually laid out his version of the truth about this new offense. And while he joked about not taking the bait, he couldn’t help letting a little truth slip. “I’m not letting you bait me into this. DK and Aaron are going to be something special to watch this year,” Heyward said. “And sprinkle that in with Calvin Austin. Calvin can sometimes be the forgotten hero in this…Calvin’s got a really bright upside. He can get past anyone.”

It’s easy to assume the 2025 Steelers are a two‑man band – Rodgers throwing bombs to DK Metcalf. But Heyward’s message was clear: this offense is more layered than that. Calvin Austin isn’t just a camp headline or a punt‑return trick. He’s a weapon. And if the defense’s leader is going out of his way to mention him, it means his role is real.

Pittsburgh hasn’t exactly been known for offensive fireworks the past few years. The defense carried them, the quarterbacks rotated, and the attack sputtered more often than not. Now, Rodgers and DK Metcalf give them the kind of star power that gets all the airtime. But Heyward cutting through the noise – reminding everyone that Austin might be the guy who tilts the field – is as close as it gets to gospel inside that locker room.